Avorion

Beta Branch Note: These changes are currently available on the beta branch. The beta branch is for testing experimental changes and for finding and fixing errors.

This is how you get access to the beta branch (USE AT YOUR OWN RISK):Right-Click on Avorion in your Steam list, Properties -> Betas -> Select branch 'beta'.

Preamble

In this update we're introducing massive, massive changes to the asset loading system and the lua engine. We can't possibly test everything that could maybe go wrong, so please help us test and brace yourselves for more patches!

Even though these patchnotes might not look like much, a lot has been going on in the engines roots. This update is probably the one that we spent the most work on in the last 12 months.

Mods

"We believe that a sandbox game is only truly a sandbox when players have the ability to mod it. So we spared no expense and effort to bring you guys this update. We did our best to make it as easy as possible to use and create mods."

Implemented Workshop Mods

Workshop Mods can be subscribed to and configured in-game in Settings -> Mods

Achievements are disabled when using mods

When logging into a server, Workshop mods can be downloaded automatically (without subscription)

Creating Mods

"Creating mods can be a complex process, so we spent weeks and wrote a lot of guides for all you modders:"

In the last update, we already changes some of the behaviors when your ship gets destroyed. Deaths in Avorion are harsh. We all know that. Especially new players get punished early for not knowing the game, after they invested tons of resources in their first ship and then - poof - it's just gone. That's true ragequit material, and nobody wants that. We're changing the insurance system to an equivalent reconstruction/respawn system that will be both more intuitive for everyone and more forgiving when you're just starting out.

The old insurance system was a compromise, and not a good one. Somewhat permadeath, but not really, yet you still lose enough that it caused beginners on titanium tier to ragequit. We needed a system where it is completely clear to players starting out that they CAN get their ship back, and where they DO after their first death (hence the first token is free). People try out the game, invest 3 - 5 hours in their first ship and then it gets destroyed, and it's not forgiven - at all. That's not fun, it's only frustrating. And when it's not fun, then it's not a good game.

Reconstruction Tokens

From now on, you can buy reconstruction tokens at repair docks, which will allow you to completely restore a destroyed ship. To avoid exploits, cargo and fighters (blueprints are restored!) are exempt from this. Reconstruction tokens cost about 20% to 30% of your ship's value, and the first token of each ship is free on normal and lower difficulties.

Repair docks are getting big changes: From now on you'll be able to restore your ships at repair docks, either for Reconstruction Tokens or for your ship's worth of money. Buying a Reconstruction Token will also repair your ship for free.

Quality of Life Changes

We're adding some more features that should make it easier and less obnoxious to start out in Avorion. Base crew size of ships is now doubled (from 4 to 8) and ships start out with a base crew on lower difficulties.

In addition to that, we're drastically reducing artificial hyperspace calculation times (by 90%). Keep in mind that hyperspace calculation times have been introduced to mask sector loading and generation time, and it can still take a while until your target sector is ready. You should feel a drastic improvement for long jumps though!

More Changes

There are many other smaller improvements in this patch: UI Improvements such as smaller notifications on the bottom right and less annoying hint boxes, as well as a new block shape!

In the last update, we already changes some of the behaviors when your ship gets destroyed. Deaths in Avorion are harsh. We all know that. Especially new players get punished early punished for not knowing the game, after they invested tons of resources in their first ship and then - poof - it's just gone. That's true ragequit material, and nobody wants that. We're changing the insurance system to an equivalent reconstruction/respawn system that will be both more intuitive for everyone and more forgiving when you're just starting out.

Reconstruction Tokens

"From now on, you can buy reconstruction tokens at repair docks, that will allow you to completely restore a destroyed ship. Well, not COMPLETELY, but almost. Read more about that below."

New Item: Reconstruction Token

Can be used at Repair Docks to reconstruct destroyed ships

Can be bought at Repair Docks for 30% of the ship's value

Must be bought in advance, BEFORE a ship is destroyed

When founding a ship, players get 0 - 2 Reconstruction Tokens for free

"Repair docks are getting big changes: From now on you'll be able to restore your ships at repair docks, either for Reconstruction Tokens or for your ship's worth of money. Buying a Reconstruction Token will repair your ship for free."

Reduced distance-related artificial hyperspace calculation time by up to 90%

Longer jumps should take a lot less long to calculate

Dev Comment: If it still takes long, it's because the server is taking a long time to load or generate sectors. Nothing can be done about that.

Gameplay

"Upgrades and turrets are no longer dropped on destruction: Depending on how badly the ship was damaged, some items are returned to the player's inventory or have to be reconstructed. Ships remain in the ship list, waiting to be reconstructed or removed"

Upgrades and turrets are no longer dropped on destruction but remain on the ship or are returned to your inventory

Destroyed ships are no longer removed from the ship list, but tagged as "destroyed" and must be removed manually or reconstructed

AI stops shooting torpedoes once a specific number of torpedoes was already fired, depending on Difficulty setting

Insurance is now a station-only feature

Added a new block

Block comes in 2 variants since it can't be mirrored onto itself

Refine ai now blocks if there is no refinery present and reminds players every 10 minutes

UI

"Some cleaning up of the UI."

Reduced size of bottom right notifications

Updated some permission descriptions for alliances

Added a window to tell you after dying that you can reconstruct a ship

Beta Branch Note: These changes are currently available on the beta branch. The beta branch is for testing experimental changes and for finding and fixing errors.

This is how you get access to the beta branch (USE AT YOUR OWN RISK):Right-Click on Avorion in your Steam list, Properties -> Betas -> Select branch 'beta'.

Gameplay

"Refining the reconstruction system some more to make it less exploitable."

After the insta-reconstruction, ships suffer minor structural damage

Ships can only regenerate back to 80% of their health

Repairing at a repair dock, in the build mode, or applying a plan fixes this

Repair Docks now additionally repair for free when buying a reconstruction token

Balancing

"This one was meant to be released with 0.22.0 - ooops. Hyperspace engine cooldown already limits travel speed, so we're reducing the artificial calculation time. Keep in mind that jump calculation time masks the time it takes for the game to generate new sectors or load sectors from disk, so times may vary wildly."

Reduced distance-related artificial hyperspace calculation time by up to 90%

Longer jumps should take a lot less long to calculate

Dev Comment: If it still takes long, it's because the server is taking a long time to load or generate sectors. Nothing can be done about that.

Scripting API

When setting scriptable object values, those values are synced to clients now

Bugfixes

Fixed a rare crash when updating the background ship database of a faction

[UBR] Fixed an issue where refineries accepted new jobs while another one from the same faction was running

[UBR] Fixed ships still being reconstructable after selling them to scrapyards

[UBR] Fixed non-wrecked player ships being salvageable

[UBR] Fixed reconstruction tokens not being removed from inventory after founding a station or selling the ship at a scrapyard

[UBR] Fixed wrecked player stations not being salvageable

Fixed an issue where removing blocks from damaged ships would return too many resources

[UBR] Fixed turrets and upgrades being untransferrable between alliance and players

[UBR] Fixed reconstruction tokens not being renamed when a ship is renamed